Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 224.71
Youth Bill of Rights
Redline — January 1, 2011 → current.View current text →
Current — January 1, 2025
As of January 1, 2011
It is the policy of the state that all youth confined in a facility of the Division of Juvenile Facilities shall have the following rights:
It is the policy of the state that all youth confined in a juvenile facility shall have the following rights, which are established by existing law and regulation:
(a) To live in a safe, healthy, and clean environment conducive to treatment and rehabilitation and where they are treated with dignity and respect.
(a) To live in a safe, healthy, and clean environment conducive to treatment, positive youth development, and healing and where they are treated with dignity and respect.
(b) To be free from physical, sexual, emotional, or other abuse, or corporal punishment.
(b) To be free from physical, sexual, emotional, or other abuse, or corporal punishment.
(c) To receive adequate and healthy food and water, sufficient personal hygiene items, and clothing that is adequate and clean.
(c) To receive adequate and healthy meals and snacks, clean water at any time, timely access to toilets, access to daily showers, sufficient personal hygiene items, clean bedding, and clean clothing in good repair, including clean undergarments on a daily basis, and new underwear that fits. Clothing, grooming, and hygiene products shall be adequate and respect the child’s culture, ethnicity, and gender identity and expression.
(d) To receive adequate and appropriate medical, dental, vision, and mental health services.
(d) To receive adequate, appropriate, and timely medical, reproductive, dental, vision, behavioral health, and mental health services provided by qualified professionals and consistent with current professional standards of care.
(e) To refuse the administration of psychotropic and other medications consistent with applicable law or unless immediately necessary for the preservation of life or the prevention of serious bodily harm.
(e) To refuse the administration of psychotropic and other medications consistent with applicable law or unless immediately necessary for the preservation of life or the prevention of serious bodily harm.
(f) To not be searched for the purpose of harassment or humiliation or as a form of discipline or punishment.
(f) To not be searched for the purpose of harassment or humiliation, a form of discipline or punishment, or to verify the youth’s gender. To searches that preserve the privacy and dignity of the person and to have access to a written search policy at any time, including the policy on who may perform searches.
(g) To maintain frequent and continuing contact with parents, guardians, siblings, children, and extended family members, through visits, telephone calls, and mail.
(g) To maintain frequent and continuing contact with parents, guardians, siblings, children, and extended family members, through visits, telephone calls, and mail. Youth may be provided with access to computer technology and the internet for maintaining relationships with family as an alternative, but not as a replacement for, in-person visiting.
(h) To make and receive confidential telephone calls, send and receive confidential mail, and have confidential visits with attorneys and their authorized representatives, ombudspersons and other advocates, holders of public office, state and federal court personnel, and legal service organizations.
(h) To make and receive confidential telephone calls, send and receive confidential mail, and have confidential visits with attorneys and their authorized representatives, ombudspersons, including the Division of the Ombudsperson of the Office of Youth and Community Restoration, and other advocates, holders of public office, state and federal court personnel, and legal service organizations.
(i) To have fair and equal access to all available services, placement, care, treatment, and benefits, and to not be subjected to discrimination or harassment on the basis of actual or perceived race, ethnic group identification, ancestry, national origin, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental or physical disability, or HIV status.
(i) To have fair and equal access to all available services, housing, care, treatment, and benefits, and to not be subjected to discrimination or harassment on the basis of actual or perceived race, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, language, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, mental or physical disability, immigration status, or HIV status.
(j) To have regular opportunity for age-appropriate physical exercise and recreation, including time spent outdoors.
(j) To have daily opportunities for age-appropriate physical exercise and recreation, including time spent outdoors and access to leisure reading, letter writing, and entertainment.
(k) To contact attorneys, ombudspersons and other advocates, and representatives of state or local agencies, regarding conditions of confinement or violations of rights, and to be free from retaliation for making these contacts or complaints.
(k) To contact attorneys, ombudspersons, including the Division of the Ombudsperson of the Office of Youth and Community Restoration, and other advocates, and representatives of state or local agencies, regarding conditions of confinement or violations of rights, and to be free from retaliation for making these contacts or complaints.
(l) To participate in religious services and activities of their choice.
(l) To exercise the religious or spiritual practice of their choice and to participate in or refuse to participate in religious services and activities.
(m) To not be deprived of any of the following as a disciplinary measure: food, contact with parents, guardians, or attorneys, sleep, exercise, education, bedding, access to religious services, a daily shower, a drinking fountain, a toilet, medical services, reading material, or the right to send and receive mail.
(m) To not be deprived of any of the following as a disciplinary measure: food, contact with parents, guardians, family, or attorneys, sleep, exercise, education, bedding, clothing, access to religious services, a daily shower, clean water, a toilet, hygiene products, medical services, reading material, or the right to send and receive mail; to not be subject to room confinement as a disciplinary measure; to access written disciplinary policies, including the right to be informed of accusations against them, have an opportunity to be heard, present evidence and testimony, and their right to appeal disciplinary decisions.
(n) To receive a quality education that complies with state law, to attend age-appropriate school classes and vocational training, and to continue to receive educational services while on disciplinary or medical status.
(n) To receive a rigorous, quality education that complies with state law, and the abilities of students and prepares them for high school graduation, career entry, and postsecondary education; to attend appropriate level school classes and vocational training; to have access to postsecondary academic and career technical education courses and programs; to have access to computer technology and the internet for the purposes of education and to continue to receive educational services while on disciplinary or medical status; and to have access to information about the educational options available to youth.
(o) To information about their rights as parents, including available parental support, reunification advocacy, and opportunities to maintain or develop a connection with their children; to access educational information or programming about pregnancy, infant care, parenting, and breast-feeding, and childhood development; to proper prenatal care, diet, vitamins, nutrition, and medical treatment; to counseling for pregnant and postpartum youth; to not be restrained by the use of leg irons, waist chains, or handcuffs behind the body while pregnant or in recovery after delivery; to not be restrained during a medical emergency, labor, delivery, or recovery unless deemed necessary for their safety and security, and to have restraints removed when a medical professional determines removal is medically necessary; and to access written policies about pregnant, postpartum, and lactating youth.
(p) To attend all court hearings pertaining to them.
(q) To have counsel and a prompt probable cause hearing when detained on probation violations.
(r) To make at least two free telephone calls within an hour after initially being placed in a juvenile facility following an arrest.
Official source: California Legislative Information. Reproduced from public-domain California statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.